Astronomers have discovered a newly analyzed radio image of a quasar called J1601+3102, which reveals twin lobes stretching roughly 66,000 light-years on each side. This find is significant because the quasar’s central black hole weighed about 450 million suns and was active when the universe had completed only about nine percent of its history.
The discovery provides insight into how black holes shape galaxies in the early universe. Radio jets can slow star formation or trigger more gas at the edges, influencing galaxy evolution. This study highlights the importance of combining the power of multiple telescopes to understand these phenomena.
The quasar’s massive radio jet is a result of sustained engine activity that pumped material well after the first stars lit the universe. The sheer length of the jet hints at an unusually powerful engine and suggests that black holes can launch jets without exceptionally massive black hole masses or high accretion rates.
This discovery is significant because it shows that galaxy formation was already underway when the universe was young, shaping the galaxies we see today. Future radio surveys and next-generation infrared telescopes promise to find dozens of similar objects, carrying messages from a time when space was dimly lit.
Source: https://www.earth.com/news/largest-oldest-black-hole-jet-ever-seen-is-size-of-three-milky-ways-j1601-3102